New partnership accelerates innovative Australian manufacturing

Micro-factories and 3D-printed prototypes to speed up new product development are just two of the game-changing opportunities that a new partnership between Impact Innovation Group and Arc Hardware Incubator will open up for Australia’s small and medium enterprise (SME)E manufacturers.

The new partnership aims to combine the expertise, facilities and networks of two of the largest innovation and commercialization players in Australia to help the local manufacturing sector in a post-COVID 19 economy. This will plug a significant service gap for SMEs, which contribute 20 percent to the nation’s manufacturing industry value. 

Impact Innovation Group managing director, Brian Ruddle, said the collaboration responded to an increasing drive and demand for enterprises to reboot and reposition manufacturing in Australia.

“Access to know-how and fast turn-key prototypes is what a local hi-tech manufacturing sector needs first,” Mr Ruddle said. 

“Getting the go-to-market strategy right and customer testing the execution of ideas before investing in buildings and plant equipment will help businesses save both time and money.

“With Impact Innovation’s solid track record for commercialising next-generation technologies, Arc’s cutting-edge equipment, and our common commitment to practical upskilling programs, we can offer a whole new value proposition for accelerated product development across many industries,” Mr Ruddle said.

Arc Hardware Incubator has worked with over 100 startups and SME ventures since 2017, helping them fast track the development and commercialization of their products by leveraging its advanced prototyping equipment and skilled staff in engineering, business and design. 

“Arc’s services and programs remove some of the biggest barriers to developing innovative hardware products: access to and affordability of  prototyping equipment to test and manufacture prototypes, access to commercialization, engineering and design experts in one location and access to national and international industry, manufacturing and investment networks  ,” said Arc CEO, Victor Vicario. 

“This new partnership with Impact Innovation Group means we can reach even more businesses with innovation-driven growth strategies and connect them with the services and startups in our network that have the capability to help them determine which ideas are most likely to succeed as new products.” 

As well as boosting practical opportunities for SMEs to accelerate product development, the collaboration aims to bridge the silos of research, large industry, smaller enterprise and government stakeholders. 

The subsequent improved understanding of their common and different agendas will enrich manufacturing solutions for domestic and global problems as well as inform future manufacturing and procurement policies.

Details of the opportunities the new partnership plans to offer will be announced over the coming months. 

Ends.

Media enquiries: 

Brian Ruddle, Impact Innovation Group, b.ruddle@impactinnovation.com tel. 3041 1128

Victor Vicario, Arc Hardware Incubator, contact@arc.space tel. 0435248087 

Images: Royalty free unsplash

About Impact Innovation Group  www.impactinnovation.com

Impact Innovation Group helps business innovators achieve outcomes and impacts sooner by turning ideas into profitable products and services. This includes designing and renovating innovation systems, upskilling in-house teams and individuals, and delivering government programs. Impact Innovation was established in 2006 to serve an unmet need in the smaller enterprise market for specialist innovation and research commercialisation services. We now help clients of all sizes from start-ups to multinationals achieve a higher return on innovation and technology commercialisation investment across multiple sectors. 

About Arc Hardware Incubator  https://arc.space

Arc is a new kind of innovation space designed to help startups streamline the development and commercialisation of their innovative hardware products. Arc achieves this by providing efficient and affordable access to cutting-edge advanced prototyping and manufacturing equipment, technical know-how and industry mentorship. Arc delivers these services through its Accelerator Programs, rapid response small scale manufacturing and corporate consultancy.